A Canberra plumbing group has expressed concerns about people using AI to quote prices for home works.

On multiple occasions this year, Rydeau Plumbing has had clients use AI to determine the price and job requirements for issues related to their plumbing, only for the results to be issued using American or British standards and pricing.

Due to exchange rates and the differing safety standards between the three countries, clients are quoted prices that are only 50 to 70 per cent of the actual cost.

Rydeau Plumbing business manager Lynley Stapleton said the misquoting had often led to awkward confrontations between their plumbers, who have over two decades of experience, and clients who have been given incorrect information.

“My husband Ben will go out to complete the job and people will almost question his expertise because they’ve used ChatGPT and they think they know what needs to be fixed,” Ms Stapleton said.

“When you use AI, you have to be very specific about what you type in for it to spit out the correct information.

“What we’ve found is most people who are doing this aren’t getting Australian results when they type in their prompts. So they’re getting prices and information using American plumbing standards, which is completely different to what our plumbing standards are here.”

Ms Stapleton explained that things such as pipes, fittings, toilet sizes and other parts all differ in Australia compared to America and the UK, meaning jobs can often require different approaches and work.

“In the last three months, we’ve really noticed quite a big difference in people who have demanded specific prices for things because it’s what ChatGPT has quoted them,” she said.

“We have had quite a few people want the prices for things before plumbers have even been able to see the issue.

“Even email inquiries, you can tell they’ve copied and pasted what AI has told them needs to be fixed. They’ll then forward that to us and ask, ‘Can you quote this?’.

“Obviously, we understand people are trying to budget and it’s not always the cheapest fix, but we can’t quote something we can’t see.”

Ms Stapleton said AI quotes weren’t reserved just for plumbing, with other trades like electricians and builders also on the receiving end.

She said tradespeople weren’t trying to take advantage of clients but were merely trying to ensure the jobs were done safely and to code.

“If people are concerned about pricing or being taken for a ride, the best thing that they can do is research and look for their best-rated local plumbers,” she said.

“They’ll give you an idea of their processes, what parts need to be changed or fixed and how long it will take.

“Ask for quotes face to face and show them your issues, because without seeing that, we can’t tell you what the exact problem is.

“ChatGPT and AI are very handy tools for a lot of things, but it can’t do the job for you and it can’t beat the experience of people who have been working in their fields for most of their lives.”